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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22661122">you're the book i read</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dykerey/pseuds/dykerey'>dykerey</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Book Club, Fix-It of Sorts, M/M, Out of Character, feat. sasuke and sakura as best friends</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:01:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,863</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22661122</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dykerey/pseuds/dykerey</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sasuke’s pretty sure it started the second he was put on house arrest.</p><p>Or: Sasuke joins Sakura's book club.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Haruno Sakura &amp; Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>145</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>you're the book i read</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hi thank u for reading. this is so fucking stupid i wrote this in an hour please have it. it is unbetad and ooc (just how i like them)</p><p>title from the book i read by the talking heads</p><p>none of the books mentioned in this fic are real (to my knowledge) and if they are i do not own them. thanks!</p><p>find me on twt and tumblr as edelsuke. im fun i love sasuke and edelgard von hresvelg</p><p>please leave kudos/comments if u enjoyed &lt;333 i do my best to respond to each adn every one</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sasuke’s pretty sure it started the second he was put on house arrest.</p><p>Bored and listless, he had taken to asking around for hobbies. If he was going to sit on his ass everyday for a fucking year, he would at least find something to occupy the time. He wasn’t allowed to train, so that was a no-go. His chakra had been blocked off, anyways; they claimed he was too much of a wild card to be trusted, so. No ninjutsu, no taijutsu, no senjutsu. The works.</p><p>Rock Lee suggested jogging (an idea, but fell under training), Tenten suggested wood carving (involved a knife, so not possible), Chouji suggested cooking (to no one’s surprise), Ino suggested meditation, Shikamaru suggested shogi, Hinata suggested knitting (he only had one hand, and its difficulty increases as your number of hands decreases), Kiba suggested raising a pet, and Shino suggested painting.</p><p>Some of these ideas he actually took up. He had a running shogi game with Shikamaru, where they met up weekly and Sasuke regularly got his ass kicked (right now, it was 24-3 in Shikamaru’s favor). He had looked into adopting a cat, and when he had visited the shelter, he adopted two on the spot. Their names were Caspar and Shadow, and while they hated each other, they both loved him, so they managed to get along most of the time. The training period had been arguably the worst few weeks of his adult life. Mediation, too, was easy to fall into, and he met up with Ino four times a week to breathe deep and clear his mind. Afterwards, they always grabbed a coffee at the same shop, and spent an hour (or two, or three) just talking. It was nice. It was all nice.</p><p>But the most dangerous suggestion by far had been Sakura’s. “Read this book, Sasuke,” she had said, unaware of the damage that these simple four words would cause.</p><p>She had lent him a copy of the first novel in her favorite series, <em>Fire and Flame</em>. It was, objectively, one of the worst novels he had ever read. The prose was sloppy, the world dull and lifeless, the characters static and constant.</p><p>And yet he found himself unable to put it down. He was wholly and truly engrossed in a series that had about as much emotional depth as one of <em>Kakashi’s</em> books (Sasuke was loath to call them novels).</p><p>Its premise was simple: it was set in a world without ninjas, without bloodshed and warfare. The three main characters (Kimiko, Meiji, and Emiya) were all coworkers locked in a love triangle—Kimiko was in love with Emiya, who was in love with Meiji, who was in love with Kimiko (or so he thought). It was rife with poorly written sex scenes and god-awful characterization. If Sasuke had to see the word “member” as a substitute for the word “cock” just one more time…</p><p>He read <em>Heart’s Desire</em> in less than 24 hours. He read the sequel, <em>Love’s Passion</em>, in less than 12. He read the third novel in the series, <em>Sinful Attraction</em>, in a mere 4.</p><p>And then he had promptly realized he had caught up with the series, and that he would have to wait for the new installment.</p><p>He had dragged himself and his broken pride to Sakura, who merely laughed and said another sentence that would haunt him for the rest of his days: “Why don’t you join my book club?”</p><p>Sasuke had gone white with shock. Sakura had just raised her eyebrow and continued. “We read stuff like this every week, and then we discuss it. Next week we’re actually discussing <em>Sinful Attraction</em>, and I’d love it if you’d attend! I really want to hear your thoughts on how the love triangle is developing.”</p><p>All Sasuke could think to say was, “When and where?”</p><p>And so now here he is. Four months deep into this book club of Sakura’s, and with no way out. He’s gone through more raunchy, god-awful romance novels in the past couple weeks than he thinks Kakashi has in his entire life. The latest was titled, <em>Hunting Season</em>.</p><p>There is truly no going back for Sasuke. This experience has forever changed him, and he knows it. The one saving grace is that Sakura has kept his involvement in the club very hush-hush—she knows he likes his privacy, and so he’s been spared any embarrassing or personal questions by people outside of their little circle. It’s a decently sized club, too, with returning members including Ino, Anko, Temari, Kurenai, and <em>Shino</em> of all people. Even Kakashi has dropped by a couple times, usually for their discussions about Icha-Icha.</p><p>But all good things must come to an end, which is why it feels a lot like someone’s taken a bucket of ice cold water and dumped it right on Sasuke’s head when Naruto hops through the window sans invitation and says, “So is it true you joined Sakura’s book club?”</p><p>Sasuke has to fight the widening of his eyes. Naruto’s not particularly aware of his surroundings, and doesn’t have the best observational skills, but it pays to be careful. “Where the hell did you hear a rumor like that?”</p><p>“I heard it from Lee, who heard it from Hinata, who heard it from Shino. Apparently, you’ve been going for a while. I’m jealous! Sakura’s never invited me!” Naruto whines, a pout sliding onto his features. He spots Caspar in the corner and makes a beeline for him. Caspar, who Sasuke has meticulously trained to sense imminent danger, runs straight towards Naruto.</p><p><em>Stupid fucking cat,</em> Sasuke thinks, and then responds with: “You’re going to believe something Lee told you?”</p><p>Naruto stands up, Caspar purring happily in his arms as Naruto strokes his head. “Hinata’s usually a pretty good source of information. I’ve never known her to lie.”</p><p>“It’s some kind of joke. They’re trying to ruin my reputation.” Sasuke says, shaking his head. Out of the corner of his eye he spots Shadow make a mad dash towards Naruto as well, and promptly decides he needs to retrain his cats. Damn traitors.</p><p>“You don’t have a reputation anymore, stupid,” Naruto laughs, and Sasuke visibly sours. “You should invite me to the book club sometime.”</p><p>“I can’t invite you because I’m not a member.”</p><p>“Oh, yeah? Then what was the last book you read for it?”</p><p>“<em>Hunting Sea</em>—fuck you, Naruto. Fuck you.” Sasuke spits derisively, and all Naruto can do is laugh so hard that he drops Caspar from his arms. The cat yowls, and bats once at Naruto before bolting off to the bedroom. Naruto keeps laughing, bent at the waist and practically wheezing. Fucking asshole.</p><p>“Just for that, you’re not getting an invite.”</p><p>“Aww, Sasuke, you don’t mean it. I’ll be a good boy, I promise! You can give me the next book and I’ll read it and come to the club and I won’t say a word about you being there. I can be insightful when I want to be!” He says with a shit-eating grin, and Sasuke resists the urge to kick at his leg. “I’ll make good comments. I’ll get a good grade.”</p><p>“You’re not getting an invite.”</p><p>“My brain needs some stimulation, Sasuke… indulge me for once and let me join you. I promise I’ll make it worth your while. Just one session and that’s all. I want to make you happy.” Naruto leans in closer, his hand rising to cup Sasuke’s cheek.</p><p>Sasuke immediately colors, and he bats Naruto’s hand away not unlike Caspar earlier. What a smarmy asshole. Fucking dickhead. Sasuke can’t believe he’s had a crush on Naruto for years. Clearly, he has bad taste not just in novels, but in men as well. “You suck, Uzumaki.”</p><p>“Ah, but you swallow.” Naruto responds easily.</p><p>Sasuke shoots him a withering glare. “What are you, six?”</p><p>“Yeah, inches deep.”</p><p>“I’m sick of you. I am so truly, deeply sick of you.” Sasuke says, and Naruto shoots him a cheeky grin before leaning in to kiss him on the nose.</p><p>“So, does that mean I’m invited?”</p><p>The very next week, Naruto is present at the book club, beaming and full of good ideas and interesting discussion points. Afterwards, Sasuke begrudgingly admits to Sakura that inviting him was one of the better decisions he’s made in the past few months. Sakura smirks.</p><p>“You know, I’m actually the one who told him you come to these meetings.” She says, and then, before he can respond: “It’s nice to see you so passionate about something, Sasuke. I just wanted him to see you like this. I doubt he’ll come again.”</p><p>Naruto comes again. And again. And again, until eventually Sasuke is forced to admit that Naruto has joined their raunchy, trashy, god-awful weekly romance novel discussion club for good. Naruto has seen Sasuke at his true worst now, and there’s no going back.</p><p>To everyone’s surprise, Naruto and Sasuke agree on nearly everything—a true first for the both of them. The first time Naruto says that he thinks that Emiya and Meiji should end up together in the next installment of the <em>Fire and Flame</em> series, Sasuke nearly lunges himself across the table and plants one right on Naruto’s lips. Instead, he agrees quietly and basks in the glow of Naruto’s smile.</p><p>After every session, they make a point to grab coffee and make casual conversation. It goes spectacularly until a few weeks in when Naruto asks, “So which one of us is Meiji and which one is Emiya?”</p><p>“You’re so fucking stupid. I’m Emiya, obviously. You’re classic Meiji,” Sasuke says as soon as the words are out of Naruto’s mouth.</p><p>“You were quick to answer,” Naruto laughs, amused. “You thought about this before?”</p><p>“That’s for me to know and you to find out.”</p><p>“That’s a yes. I speak fluent Sasuke.”</p><p>“Yeah, and I speak fluent dumbass.” Sasuke retorts, placing his coffee cup onto the table with a loud <em>bang</em>. A few customers glance in their direction, and Sasuke ignores their piercing gazes so he can glare at Naruto.</p><p>“Clearly not, since you still haven’t picked up on something I’ve been saying for years.” Naruto says, shrugging, and Sasuke kicks his shin under the table.</p><p>“Care to enlighten me?” He asks, and Naruto rolls his eyes, slides over to his side of the booth, looks Sasuke dead in the eyes, and leans in. Slowly his hands rise to cup Sasuke’s face again, and Sasuke tenses then relaxes as their lips finally, finally, <em>finally</em> touch.</p><p>When they pull apart, they’re both grinning.</p><p>“Is that enough enlightenment for you, Sasuke?” Naruto preens, ever the smarmy, cheeky asshole even after they’ve swapped spit, and Sasuke rolls his eyes and leans into Naruto’s gentle touch.</p><p>When Sasuke tells Sakura about it later, she smirks again and claps him on the shoulder. Says, “Thanks, Sasuke. You and Naruto have given me some ideas.”</p><p>Sasuke gives her a strange look, then takes his leave.</p><p>In <em>Partner in Crime</em>, the fourth and final installment of the <em>Fire and Flame </em>series, Meiji and Emiya kiss. When they pull apart, Meiji says, “Is that enough enlightenment for you?”</p><p> </p>
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